Coursework solutions for Math 103 Probability: Week 12

  1. 1.

    Let A denote the event ‘Abel has the live bullet’. Similarly define B and C, and let H denote the event ‘the victim is hit’.

    [1 for setting up the events correctly]

    Clearly P(A)=P(B)=P(C)=1/3.

    1. (a)

      As {A},{B},{C} partitions the sample space, the law of total probability gives

      P(H) = P(H|A)P(A)+P(H|B)P(B)+P(H|C)P(C)
      = (0.6+0.7+0.8)/3=0.7.

      [0.5 for invoking law of total prob (either writing it in abstract, or stating the name)]


      [0.5 for putting correct numbers into the law]

    2. (b)

      By Bayes theorem P(C|H)=P(H|C)P(C)/P(H)=0.8×1/30.7=0.381.
       

      [0.5 for knowing we want P(C|H), 0.5 for using Bayes’ theorem]

  2. 2.

    Ω={BB,BY,BG,YB,YY,YG,GB,GY,GG} and

    R(BB) = -2,
    R(YY) = 4,
    R(GG) = 0,
    R(BY) = R(YB)=1,
    R(BG) = R(GB)=-1,
    R(YG) = R(GY)=2.

    The induced sample space for R is 𝒮={-2,-1,0,1,2,4}.

    [1 for Ω, 0.5 for correct specification of R, 1 for 𝒮]

    Now

    P(R=-2) = P({BB})=8.714.13=413,
    P(R=-1) = P({BG,GB})=8.214.13+2.814.13=1691,
    P(R=0) = P({GG})=2.114.13=191,
    P(R=1) = P({BY,YB})=8.414.13+4.814.13=3291,
    P(R=2) = P({YG,GY})=4.214.13+2.414.13=891,
    P(R=4) = P({YY})=4.314.13=691.

    [0.25 for each correct probability]

  3. 3.

    The sets {R=r}, r=0,1,2, partition Ω.

    [1]

    Therefore

    ωΩR(ω)P({ω}) = r=0ω{R=r}R(ω)P({ω})
    = r=0rω{R=r}P({ω})
    = r=0rP(R=r)
    = r=0rpR(r).

    [2]